*** This was an evening of varied and much loved repertoire heralding the welcome return of the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by James Judd.

The programme began with a spirited performance of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major. The six Brandenburg Concertos were written during Bach's years at Cothen and were dedicated to Duke Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg.

These works, based on the Italian concerto grosso were taken further by Bach in terms of the concertino. He expected more from the soloists in this small group, and accompanied as they were by the ripieno, or larger group of players, he pointed the way to the later virtuosic Classical and Romantic solo concertos.

We were certainly not disappointed in last night's performance with soloists Jose-Luis Garcia (violin), William Bennett (flute), Neil Black (oboe) and Frank Lloyd (horn).

The richness of their playing, together with the energetic accompaniment of the orchestra was certainly an argument for Bach played on modern instruments.

It seems such a waste of effort on the part of often dull academic purists who painstakingly recreate what they consider to be the authentic Bach sound. What is produced is often so bland and so tiny that one feels like asking them to adjust their volume control. To my mind the whole exercise is, at best, an interesting historical drollery. Had Bach instruments and instrumentalists such as those we heard on Wednesday evening, he would most certainly have used them.

It was with great sadness that the musical world learned of the death of Welsh composer William Mathias last July. In his concerto dedicated to William Bennett, the soloist in Wednesday's performance, the composer left us a legacy which includes this brilliant masterpiece for flute.

From the sprightly opening theme of the first movement to the melancholy of the middle Lento molto and the wonderful finale full of dynamic rhythmic excitement, Mathias explored all the capabilities of the flute as a virtuosic solo instrument, and of course, William Bennett, the master, was more than equal to the task. He was superbly supported by the orchestra -- a complex accompaniment, I might add -- all under the dynamic baton of James Judd.

After the intermission the evening was devoted to Beethoven. In his string quartets Beethoven was the master craftsman. With their merciless demands and high mandate, his string quartets are the greatest challenge that have been issued to the string playing world. The string quartet is the purest and most aristocratic form of music. To Beethoven it was to be a call for his most exalted and highly organised musical expression. So painstaking was his creative process that in his never-ending search for perfection he did, on one occasion, write out 24 drafts of a string quartet, only to find that number 24 was the same as number one.

It was with considerable ire that I listened to Mahler's orchestration of the wonderful quartet in F minor opus 95. It is, in my opinion, as about intrinsically effective as reorganising the Mona Lisa in pastels, or Hamlet in Pushtu -- what unmitigated gall! Apart from anything else, the fine solo lines are positively brutalised when played by orchestral forces. I mean this in no way as a criticism of the playing, which was very fine, but rather as a condemnation of Mahler for interfering with Beethoven's personal vision and intimate creation.

The Beethoven experience was saved for me, fortunately, by Jose-Luis Garcia's wonderful performance of those magnificent miniatures, Romance in G opus 40, and Romance in F opus 50. This was sublime playing and the orchestra's tender accompaniment very moving. James Judd coaxed such nuance and fine phrasing from his forces that, together with the superb warmth and Romanticism of Garcia's playing, this was for me, the highlight of the evening.

The English Chamber Orchestra is and will continue to be a great favourite of Bermudians. It is no surprise that they are playing to appreciative capacity audiences. MARJORIE PETTIT.